Genetic predisposition, lifestyle, age and gender: personalized medicine uses individual factors to develop tailored therapies for patient. Pharmacogenetics plays a very important role in this. Pharmacogenetic tests can be used to predict with a high degree of probability whether or how a particular drug will affect a particular person and whether there is an increased risk of adverse drug reactions. This has already been proven for more than 100 active substances, and new ones are constantly being added. The development of personalized therapies is most advanced in oncology, psychiatry, cardiology and pain therapy.

Pharmacogenetic testing helps the physician in advance of drug administration to select the most suitable drug for the patient at the optimal dosage. In particular, people who have to take medication on a long-term basis or for whom treatment failure or intolerance would have severe consequences can benefit from this. If treatment is already ongoing, pharmacogenetics helps to clarify the cause of possible side effects and to identify alternatives.

Successful treatment always begins with a personal consultation with the doctor. After an individual consultation and explanation, a blood or saliva sample is taken. In the laboratory, genomic DNA is extracted from leukocytes. The relevant genes in this DNA are enriched using several multiplex PCRs (polymerase chain reactions) and the variants to be detected are analyzed using a MALDI-TOF method. The resulting genotype is interpreted using the SONOGEN expert system. The subject matter experts create the patient's personal pharmacogenetic profile and match it with the current or planned medication. It is then possible to say whether a treatment is promising or associated with an increased risk, or which drugs would be more suitable depending on the profile.

The report contains the pharmacogenetic patients profile, i.e. an overview of which genes and variants were examined and which gene variants deviate from the normal type in the patient, as well as the resulting genotype. It also contains a detailed description of the gene-drug interactions of the medication mentioned in the order. The report is available to the attending physician in German, French and English within a few working days of receipt of the sample. Various report forms are possible, which differ in content and level of detail and can be adapted to the different requirements of the user groups.

The pharmacogenetic profile (PGx profile) brings together all the important information about genetic variations that can influence a person's response to certain drugs. The selection of relevant gene variants is based on clinical recommendations of the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium, the Dutch Pharmacogenetics Working Group and current literature. Based on the PGx profile, the treating physician can build up the further therapy.

The genes of a person are unchangeable. Therefore, in principle, an analysis is only necessary once. However, only certain genes are analyzed that, according to the current state of knowledge, have an influence on the drug effect. In the future, new findings may make it necessary to analyze additional genes. For these new genes, a new blood analysis would then be necessary.

More and more health insurance companies are participating proportionately or fully in the financing of pharmacogenetic tests, as their costs are comparatively low in relation to the added value and savings potential. In addition, the one-time test analyzes all combinations of active ingredients, so that the test results can be used for a current as well as other future diseases and important added values can be generated. Therefore, prior coordination with the health insurance company is highly recommended in any case.

The results are based on well-founded international study results and are reviewed at several levels with regard to clinical relevance and study design quality. Supplemented by the constant evaluation and support of specialized experts, multi-level evidence and quality assurance levels are thus guaranteed, which ensure that the most up-to-date scientific findings are always comprehensively processed and evaluated.

The results and personal data are the property of patient. Personal health data is particularly sensitive. Its confidentiality is strictly regulated in all European countries by the GDPR and local regulations. Patient data is treated in strict confidence and stored securely in accordance with these laws and guidelines. The data is stored at OHVcloud, an international hosting provider in Europe. OVHcloud has all the necessary certificates and is certified according to ISO/IEC 27001, 27017 and 27018 as well as the strict French requirement for the hosting of health data HDS (hébergement des données santé).

Exemplary laboratory collaborations:

Switzerland and Liechtenstein: Laboratory Group Dr. Risch
Germany: Laboratory Group Limbach
Austria: AKH Vienna
France: Eurofins
Eastern Europe: Laboratory Group Limbach International

We have over 10 years of practical experience in cross-sector service delivery in the field of pharmacogenetics - conventional as well as digital. Contact us - if we know your individual starting position, we can jointly identify the best application form(s) and present concrete best practice referenced implementation proposals.

On our partner overview you can see exemplary users. We would be pleased to provide you with references according to your needs.

Pharmacogenetics reduces side effects and complications, thus improving individual chances of recovery and leading to an overall increase in the quality of medicine. Pharmacogenetics thus has a high potential for health economic efficiency.

Today, SONOGEN is used in several European countries, such as Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, the Principality of Liechtenstein, and some Eastern European countries, such as Poland, Romania and Croatia.

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